Best-Loved Aesop Fables

Updated on April 19, 2016

Who Is Aesop?

Aesop's fables are over two thousand years old. According to tradition he was a Greek slave, living in the sixth century BC. His stories were cleverly told, presenting human problems through the dilemmas of animal characters, a tradition present in the cultures of many different races. Though they were first told long ago, the stories are as relevant today as ever. Even now the children hang on to the moral lesson at the end of the story. Aesop must have been a keen observer and it shows in his fables.

We don't know if he write them down and no one knows if he really invented all of them, but we do know that they have been popular ever since.

When I was young I found a collection of Aesop's fables in our school library. I loved it and I keep coming back to read it. Here are some of my favourite ones.

The Dog and His Reflection

A dog, to whom the butcher had thrown a bone, was hurrying home with his prize as fast as he could go. As he crossed a narrow footbridge, he happened to look down and saw himself reflected in the quiet water as if in a mirror. But the greedy dog thought he saw a real dog carrying a bone much bigger than his own.

If he had stopped to think he would have known better. But instead of thinking, he dropped his bone and sprang at the dog in the river, only to find himself swimming for dear life to reach the shore. At last he managed to scramble out, and as he stood sadly thinking about the good bone he had lost, he realized what a stupid dog he had been.

Moral Lesson: "It is very foolish to be greedy."

Watch on YouTube : Aesop's Fables - The Bear and the Two Men

Two Travelers and a Bear

Two men were traveling in a company through a forest, when, all at once, a huge bear crashed out of the brush near them.

One of the men, thinking of his own safety, climbed a tree. The other, unable to fight the savage beast alone, threw himself on the ground and lay still, as if he were dead. He had heard that a bear will not touch a dead body.

It must have been true, for the bear sniffed at the man's head awhile, and then, seeming to be satisfied that he was dead, walked away. The man in the tree climbed down. "It looked just as if that bear whispered in your ear," he said. "What did he tell you?" "He said," answered the other, "that it was not at all wise to keep company with a fellow who would desert his friend in a moment of danger."

Moral Lesson: "Misfortune is the test of true friendship."

The Crow and the Pitcher

In a spell of dry weather, when the birds could find very little to drink, a thirsty crow found a pitcher with a little water in it. But the pitcher was high and had a narrow neck, and no matter how he tried, the crow could not reach the water. The poor thing felt as if he must die of thirst.

Then an idea came to him. Picking up some small pebbles, he dropped them into the pitcher one by one. With each pebble, the water rose a little higher until at last it was near enough so he could drink.

Moral Lesson: "In a pinch a good use of our wits may help us out."

Belling the Cat

The mice once called a meeting to decide on a plan to free themselves of their enemy, the cat. At least they wished to find some way of knowing when she was coming, so they might have time to run away. Indeed, something had to be done, for they lived in such constant fear of her claws that they hardly dared stir from their dens by night or day.

Many plans were discussed, but none of them was thought good enough. At last a very young mouse got up and said: "I have a plan that seems very simple, but I know it will be successful. All we have to do is to hang a bell about the cat's neck. When we hear the bell ringing we will know immediately that our enemy is coming."

All the mice were much surprised that they had not thought of such a plan before. But in the midst of the rejoicing over their good fortune, an old mouse arose and said: "I will say that the plan of the young mouse is very good. But let me ask one question: Who will bell the cat?"

Moral Lesson: "It is one thing to say that something should be done, but quite a different matter to do it."

The Young Crab and His Mother

"Why in the world do you walk sideways like that?" said a mother crab to her son. "You should always walk straight forward with your toes turned out."

So the old crab tried and tried to walk straight forward. But she could walk sideways only, like her son. And when she wanted to turn her toes out she tripped and fell on her nose.

Moral Lesson: "Do not tell others how to act unless you can set a good example."

The Fox and the Grapes

A fox one day spied a beautiful bunch of ripe grapes hanging from a vine trained along the branches of a tree. The grapes seemed ready to burst with juice and the fox's mouth watered as he gazed longingly at them.

The bunch hung from a high branch, and the fox had to jump for it. The first time he jumped he missed it by a long way. So he walked off a short distance and took a running leap at it, only to fall short once more. Again and again he tried, but in vain.

Now he sat down and looked at the grapes in disgust.

"What a fool I am," he said. "Here I am wearing myself out to get a bunch of sour grapes that are not worth gaping for." And off he walked very, very scornfully.

Moral Lesson: "There are many who pretend to despise and belittle that which is beyond their reach."

The Gnat and the Bull

A gnat flew over the meadow with much buzzing for so small a creature and settled on the tip of one of the horns of a Bull.

After he had rested a short time, he made ready to fly away. But before he left he begged the bull's pardon for having used his horn for a resting place.

"You must be very glad to have me go now," he said.

"It's all the same to me," replied the bull. "I did not even know you were there."

Moral Lessons:

"We are often of greater importance in our own eyes than in the eyes of our neighbor."

From apple to watermelon, an A- Z list of different fruits and some related facts. Lots of photos included!

Comments 32 comments

tristen jones 6 months ago

Aesop may be long dead but I love the stories in this so if any one can make one It is one who is mute.

ProvenLessons 9 months ago

Aesops fables hold SO many truths, especially in this 21st century. Adults should read them to refresh their memory of our grandparents teachings.

phoebie martin 2 years ago

its so wonderful i love it, i hope many aesop fables wiil work

aubrey miles 3 years ago

yes aesop fable is great to child

.,,

like me

SINU 4 years ago

Thank You

harshitha 4 years ago

it is good and valueable

Dharti K patel 4 years ago

I love the fable because I have heard about it so much and a lot about it I loved it so muchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh and the author that has written it about it I like so far and nicely.

I wish a lot of people vote thank you every body.

josh 4 years ago

i really like the fables

JOYBILLONES18 5 years ago

IS THEIR ANY LONGER FABLE THAT I COULD READ ....PLEAS REPY ASAP

sylvher keaone 5 years ago

i like these fables specially its moral lessons which is explained clearly ,nice very nice!!!!

G-Aubrey Manalo 5 years ago

what is the author of the young crab and his mother?

Mark 5 years ago

Wonderful! Thank you!

micha 5 years ago

the moral lessons are good and nice

annje 5 years ago

the pictures are nice! i liked it!

jayzer 5 years ago

aesop is an excellent fable maker

poonam gaur 5 years ago

the mporal of the story teaches us good manners

super smart 5 years ago

the moral lesson is good and nice because it helps us to do the rigth manners i like it so muchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Coronado John Oliver B. 5 years ago

ang ganda ng the gant and the bull galing........

Marianne Stovall 5 years ago

This is my most beloved story book that my great grandmother read to me as a child (1956). I recognize the illustrations. Can you please tell me the name of the book, the author and the illustrator. I very much want to locate this book and purchase it. Thank you for sharing this delightful website! Marianne Stovall

KEVIN 5 years ago

THESE STORIES GIVES US GOOD MORALS WHICH WE CAN APPLY IN OUR DAILY LIFE.

JoNeilzky 5 years ago

I Like your fables,and Im thankful to read this.

KRISITNE MAE J.REBARBAS 6 years ago

I really2 like this

Diana 6 years ago

I have to do a modern story using one of Aesop's Fables Morals.

This website helped me out a bit ;)

lex123 6 years ago

Great hub! Your stories brought back the memories of my childhood and my telling them to my children. Thanks for reminding about these stories.

micah 6 years ago

i love it:))))

kazurin 6 years ago

wow,,!!!!! it is sooooooooooo true, but sometimes, adults always forget these lessons, i think they should carry a book of aesop or something..^^,

Lemaj 6 years ago

I have loved Aesop's fables eversince I was a child. Even now, I'm still reading his works, even if I've read them a lot of times.

travel_man1971 7 years ago from Bicol, Philippines

I used to read these stories when I was a child, MM del Rosario. Thanks for sharing this in the Hubpages.

MM Del Rosario 8 years ago from NSW, Australia Author

Hi CS--- I agree Aesop Fables are good bedtime stories and children don't just get tired of hearing these stories. You can actually ask them if they could give their own morals based on the story....thanks for dropping by.

MM

G-Ma Johnson 8 years ago from NW in the land of the Free

oh my love 2 travelers and a bear..Knat and the bull..they are all excellent...and thanks for the reminder sweetie...G-Ma :o) hugs

MM Del Rosario 9 years ago from NSW, Australia Author

hi livelonger,

Aesop fables have warm the heart of many around the world. thanks for your visit.